Kastle Academy: Team SRRU
by Dadread
Summary: Four incompatible students form yet another unlikely team in the world of Remnant, just as a terrifying force prepares for its return. First couple of chapters are character introductions, and Rated T for language. Enjoy the story and even review or share with others if you want. Chapters are not on a scheduled release. I do not own RWBY, only the characters within this story.
1. Team GDTR Character Profiles

**GREETINGS, RWBY FANS! This is my first fanfiction in a very long time, and I'm glad that a RWBY fic is the first.**

 **DISCLAIMER, SON: I do not own RWBY or its content. I only own the characters and the story that you have decided to read. RWBY belongs in the hands of Monty Oum (RIP), Kerry Shawcross, Miles Luna, and Rooster Teeth.**

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*Ahem* This is Headmaster Rime, introducing the first of many character/team profiles of the many members of Kastle Academy. Today, we're going to take a look at:

Team GDTR (Godtier), the graduates turned teachers of Kastle Academy.

Its members consist of:

Gio and Dia, the excavators of Heaven and Hell, as they're called. Twins raised by a renowned family of archaeologists and geologists, cold and calculating Giovanni and Dianna Hawkins split into different interests. Gio prefered getting his hands dirty, going out of his way at a young age to pick and brush away the rock and dust to find priceless fossils and occasionally an antique or two. Dia, on the other hand, wasn't into "times and topics long overdone" as she put it, and simply enjoyed the sight of crystals and gems of all kinds, raw and just recently mined, or polished so perfectly it shined best at any angle. There was, however, one thing they had in common. While they made names of themselves in their respective businesses, Heaven and Hell arose from their skill in fighting Grimm. They graduated from Kastle years ago, receiving awards for outstanding performance on the field, and now teach the next generations in classes to achieve the same. Their weapons, Gio's trusty crossbow/shovel, Grave Robber, and Dia's dust-fueled chakram, Crystal Waves, devastate the battlefield.

Next is Tania Madeleine, the older sister to Tiler Madeleine. Graduating on the same team as Gio and Dia, Tania likes to believe that she acts like they do, when really, she's just good at keeping her emotions in check when she needs to. She's a really cheerful person, and loves getting close to people, whether it means being someone's friend, or having them stare down the barrel of her shotgun tonfa, Goddess' Smite. Trust me when we say it hurts. A _lot._ Her good friend Rein tends to make sure she softens the blow at least a little bit. Hopefully that's the case. After graduating, Tania spent some time working missions for the Grimm Investigation Forces (GIF) before turning to teaching, though ready to move at a moment's notice.

Finally we have Rein Alenko, a close friend of the Madeleines. A quiet man, he isn't one for opening up about personal stuff and whatnot, not because he's got some dark twisted past, but he really just doesn't talk much. He and Tania became friends as teenagers as they both entered Kastle and joined Gio and Dia through the years. Miraculously, Rein is able to calm down Tania whenever she gets too excited, much to the twins' relief. Other than her brother Tiler, Rein's the only person who has been able to do so. Rein's razor-sharp threads, which he dubbed Bloody Orchestra, eliminates or incapacitates any target without noise or warning. According to his reports from teachers, he wasn't much for studying in class, though his grades remained remarkably high. Could it be that he's a genius…? Or is he just that lucky…?

Regardless, these four brilliant students have taken their positions as teachers at Kastle Academy: Giovanni teaches Geography and History of Remnant, though no one really enjoys those. If it were up to me, I'd have the classes removed entirely, but the laws have powers. Dianna stubbornly refers teaching as "Enlightening," but really, she teaches Geology and History's Use of Dust. Tania takes care of our Strategy and Recon classes, making use of her time in the GIF, while Rein is in charge of the physical training, meaning hand-to-hand, weapons both melee as well as ranged, using Dust in combat, and self-defense.

Though teaching isn't the only thing that brought the team back. Something's coming to Kastle. I know it. They know it. We can only hope but prepare these students for the worst.

Uh… *ahem* excuse me, I got distracted. This concludes the Team GDTR character profiles. Next will be Team SRRU, aka Team Starstruck.

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 **There might be a little homage bonus chapter to Monty somewhere in the future, but again, please enjoy.**


	2. Team SRRU Character Profiles

Here we are once again with another character/team profile of the many students and staff at Kastle Academy. This time, we will be reviewing:

Team: SRRU (Starstruck). A very… odd quartet of students.

This will also contain bits of each student's pre-admission interview, where we asked them about their weapons and any other notable traits they might want to share.

Its members consist of:

Stella Blossom: self-titled "Princess Pastel" (Professor Grubman, please refrain from laughing. You told me you couldn't pronounce your own last name until you were twelve.), stubborn in her ways, hates getting even a speck of dirt on her dresses. Thinks the school's uniforms are "walking punishments from the lowest circle of Hell." I'm going to have to tell Mary. She'll be quite offended, or at least take it as challenge. Stella's also never out without her parasol, which she said is her means of combat. When asked about it in her pre-admission interview, she called it "Heaven's Glow," but refused to give any further knowledge. "You'll find out when I amaze you on the battlefield," she told me. … Okay, then. When asked about her… taste in clothing, she referred to it as "lolita" in some condescending manner. *sighs* It's like Dia when she first came here… (Oh don't try to deny it, you still are. Don't Wave those Crystals at me! _Yes,_ that was a pun!)

Rocky Vega: A very hot-headed young man, he's prone to acting... forcefully when defending things, whether it be his friends or his objective. Otherwise he's a very open-minded child. In his pre-admission interview, he told me, on the premise that I tell no one else, that he is a rhino faunus, though his horn is small enough to hide under his mess of hair. He carries around what looks like a briefcase covered in animal carvings, but in combat it seems to transform into a large hammer he calls "Savannah's Call." Also in his interview, he liked to point out the skin condition he had called vitiligo, and showed me the patches that seemed pale compared to the rest of his otherwise dark skin. He's proud of that, yet he's hesitant to share his faunus heritage. Oh dear. He and Stella will not get along well if she finds out.

Umbra Maxwell: Umbra is a shy young girl, but she always does her best to get involved around school. People mistakenly see her as a dark, antisocial 'goth', due to her choice of clothing and poor social skills, but really, she's trying so hard. Upon observation, I found that she's accident prone as well; tripping, knocking things over, you name it. Though, one time, I remember that she got a rather large cut on her palm. Rather than panic at the sight, she seemed… happy. Aroused, even. Kids. They're into anything these days. In her pre-admission interview, Umbra tightly held onto her beloved weapons, throwing knives with different effects due to Dust and/or Aura infusion, but never gave us a name for them. We do not know if it's because she doesn't have one or she's too nervous to tell us.

Rosanne Klaus: Everyone would assume Umbra's the dark or creepy one just by going with her name (although her behavior at times may justify those claims), it seems that Rosanne's the more ominous one. Underneath that cheery exterior, I have an odd feeling that she practices more than just weapons and Dust. That, and the giant coffin with a heart engraved on it constantly strapped to her back gives off an eerie vibe. When asked about the coffin in her interview, Rosanne smiled bashfully and looked away as if talking about something incredibly personal. Odd, yet intriguing. A girl with an affinity with dead things, perhaps? After several minutes of coaxing, she told us that she simply called it "her darling," though for the sake of consistency, I, as well as other teachers, secretly call it "Love's Embrace." She explained that "her darling" is incredibly picky, so she's trained in hand-to-hand combat.

I worry for this team. Really, I do, because whenever these kinds personalities clash, they tend not to end well. One can only hope as they attend Kastle...


	3. Syllabus: A Ravenous Reawakening

Syllabus: A Ravenous Reawakening

In an unfamiliar part of Remnant, an abandoned church still stood strong, despite the wear and tear that is evident on all sides; freezing blizzards and hailstorms chipped away at the stone walls and broke the stained glass windows, while small military groups used the area as a weapons testing site, the building getting caught in the crossfire and explosions. Yet, in spite of all of that, while the inside was littered with debris of all sizes and the pews were either broken or thrown out of place, a single coffin sat in the middle of it all, untouched by the chaos surrounding it. The coffin itself glowed an eerie violet, yet that did not deter the cloaked figure that approached it.

"Master… you will soon… rise once more…" the figure said, its voice raspy and strained, "it has been… many years now… the warriors have… passed away since… your unfortunate… demise…"

At the mention of the warriors and the sealing, something inside the coffin went berserk, causing the figure to flinch and take a step back, though something in the air beckoned them to move closer, as if to tell them something. They obeyed, and a voice rang out from within:

"The warriors have indeed passed… but their powers have not… Something has inherited them… or rather, someone… They have left offspring, those putrid creatures. I can smell their ancestors' blood, even from here…" the voice said. "I am still weak, but I am still able to use some of my power. Take it, and find them. _Kill_ them. I want nothing in our way when I am revived," it ordered, and some of the violet glow slithered and surrounded the cloaked figure, who fell back and writhed on the ground for several long, excruciating minutes before struggling to get back up, at least taller than before.

"Don't worry," the figure said, their voice now lighter and clearer, "I'll make them suffer, and I'll enjoy every… single… second… _my love_." With that, the figure left the church, leaving the coffin to laugh heartily at the delicious thought of the descendants screaming and begging to stop the pain. Pain that will be revenge for being sealed all these years.


	4. Lesson 1: New Beginnings, More Worries

Lesson One: More Beginnings, More Worries

A man watches through the window of his office as passenger ships finally arrive at the school's heliports below, each dropping off dozens of students of all kinds; some were bright-eyed and eager to take the first step of their careers as Hunters and Huntresses, while others arrived with a determined look, hoping to continue honing their skills and proving others what they're more than capable of. The man couldn't help but smile as he saw the children running around, reuniting with friends, making new ones, even gathering around someone who had a map of the school because all of them were lost. They're all so pure and innocent, only doing what they believe is the right thing to do, as any child would, and yet...

A knock on the door broke him out of his thoughts, and he turned as another man entered the room. "Headmaster Rime, it's nearly time for the introduction ceremony," he reported.

"Please, Rein, only the students need to refer to me as Headmaster. Don't forget that we're co-workers now," Rime replied with a smile.

"O-Of course… Rime. I guess being this school's alumni beats a few things into you," Rein said admittedly. "Regardless, I'm here to remind-"

"Yes, yes, the introduction ceremony, I heard you the first time," Rime interrupted, then chuckled when he noticed Rein glaring at him. "Oh, don't be so serious, Rein. Those wrinkles will stick to ya if it's the only face you maintain." With that, he began to make his way out the door when Rein stopped him with a hand.

"Rime… Your _clothes_ …" Rein told him, and Rime looked down and laughed when he realized he had forgotten that he was wearing his lime green silk robe, embroidered with a small "R" on the left shoulder, complete with adorable fuzzy beowulf slippers. Absolutely childish in comparison to Rein's professional uniform, which is to say the academy's old blazer and dress pants that he decided to customize here and there. The sleeves of the blazer had been cut at the elbow and rolled up to the middle of his bicep, while checkered belts holding various pouches and cases, crossed each other around his waist

"Oh Dust, how could I have forgotten? Thank you, Rein. I'll go change immediately. You may leave," Rime told him, and with a reluctant nod, Rein left the room, leaving Rime to change into his signature green suit-and-tie ensemble and throwing on an overcoat before he exited the room, trying to come up with the new semester's introduction speech as he made his way to the main hall.

"More students have arrived to this school than I expected. This will make for a very interesting year: new beginnings… more worries," he thought.


	5. Lesson 2: A Gentle Greeting

Lesson Two: A Gentle Greeting

Rime was baffled at the amount of students that crammed the main hall of the academy, all chattering amongst themselves until it sounded like constant buzzing. He turned his head towards some of the other teachers and staff at his side; to his left, Gio Hawkins stood at attention dressed in his usual dirty expedition uniform, while his twin sister Dia stood several steps away, inspecting every inch of her aquamarine dress to make sure none of the dirt was on her outfit. To Rime's right, Rein Alistair stood by his side, not as baffled as he was but still thinking they'll never get anything done like this. Next to Rein was Tania Madeleine, though she was too busy talking into an earpiece to acknowledge the situation. "At least she took her _job_ seriously," Rime thought to himself, remembering her chaotic time as a student, then approached the lonely microphone stand and cleared his throat, and the students immediately fell silent.

"Greetings to each and every one of you," he began," I am Rime, Headmaster of the elite combat school that you all willingly decided to attend: Kastle Academy. To be honest, I'm surprised that there are so many of you. You all came here to do one thing: become the Hunters and Huntresses, heroes and heroines, warriors that will protect the world from the deadly forces of Grimm that wish to destroy it, but do be warned: a career such as this is not for the faint of heart. Just because we are an elite training academy, it does not mean we will always be there to protect you. To be a Hunter or Huntress means to accept the risk of injury, or worse, death, even at school. Be ready for anything and everything, have trust in your teammates, fellow students, and staff, and you will survive even the worst of evils."

At that, Rime took a bow and walked away, leaving the confused new students to debate what his last words meant.

Then Tania stepped up to the microphone, "Hey, y'all! Apologies to all first year students, but you are to be assigned rooms tomorrow after you form your teams. For now, we will clear out the main hall and provide sleeping bags for anyone that doesn't have one. You'll be sleeping on the floor tonight."

The crowd broke out in a mix of groans and chatter, and an echoing "NOOOOOO" could be heard from one end of the room to the other.

Rime headed behind the collapsible stage of the main hall and met up with Rein and the Hawkins twins. "Well, that definitely went better than your other 'gentle' greetings," noted Dia.

"'Gentle' is putting it lightly, Dianna. When we came here, He gave us descriptions of how students died in the past. I remember the one where a beowulf and a crustacea-"

"That's… more than enough to remind us, Gio," Rein interrupted, visibly green from the memory. "Perhaps we could talk about what Headmaster Rime meant by, 'worst of evils.'"

"Again with the Headmaster, Rein… but very well. Rein, stay with Tania until the students have been properly accommodated for the night, then when you return to my office, I will explain everything. " Rime answered. The air around them felt grim, and Rein turned to stay with Tania as ordered.

"Gentle greetings indeed…" Rime thought as the three headed for his office.


	6. Kastle Archives: Time to Fight, GDTR

**This is one of many bonus chapters featuring scenarios that show what these characters can do. This chapter features Giovanni and Dianna Hawkins, jumping in to protect their students.**

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Time to Fight: GDTR

The ursa flew backwards from the force of the explosion, dust flying in every direction. Once it cleared, all that remained was a single circular blade, resonating with a rose-colored glow. A woman nonchalantly walked over to the weapon and picked up, inspecting it with pursed lips.

"I can't believe I missed such an easy target. I swear, if my precious Wave gets so much as a chip from that…" she whined aloud.

"Dianna, if everyone were to be as meticulous as you when it comes to our weapons, we'd be dead years ago, so please stifle your whining until after the battle," a man replied, stopping beside her and swinging his weapon. Upon closer inspection, the rookie team wasn't sure if it was a weapon at all, and more like a shovel that had just been sharpened at the edge.

"Easy for you to say, Giovanni. You don't mind getting _yourself_ dirty, let alone that barbaric shovel of yours."

"At least I do most of my work. Do you have any idea-"

The conversation was interrupted by a roar from the irritated ursa. The twins froze before slowly turning towards the monster with the most terrifying looks on their faces.

" _Can't you see we're busy!?_ " the two shouted. Dia's chakrams glowed an aqua blue before she twirled and flung them into the air above the ursa, while Gio ceased spinning his shovel and sliced into the ground before pulling up with a powerful roar of his own, the glyph on the shovel glowing brightly as it sends a shockwave of stalagmites towards the same target. With a flick of Dia's wrist, the chakrams rained down a storm of razor sharp diamonds, living up to their user's name. Heaven and Hell met as the one ursa was simultaneously impaled by above and below, unable to even fall to its knees.

As the chakrams returned to Dia, the twins turned back to each other, but couldn't get another word in as sirens rang nearby. Tania and Rein exited the self-provided ("She took it from a nearby patrol without saying anything," Rein later explained) police vehicle, disappointed that they didn't get to fight, nor could they witness Heaven and Hell in action again.

"Awww, Gio, Dia, why did you kill it already?" Tania asked.

"Tania, you realize that a giant ursa was threatening the lives of our students? They didn't have time to show off for us," Rein told her, and sighed in relief when Tania just went with that.

"What were you children thinking!?"

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 **Hope you enjoyed! If these are unnecessary or whatever, just let me know. I'll probs just remove 'em.**


	7. Lesson 3: First Impressions

Lesson 3: First Impressions

"Ah, perfect," said a young girl as she set down her sleeping bag as straight as it could be, standing proud in only her nightgown and her pink hair in a neat, tight bun. Then the smile disappeared quickly as her shoulders slumped and she sighed in defeat. "Or close enough, I suppose," she whined. Stella Blossom couldn't believe what she had been told. Forced to sleep on the disgusting, rickety, wooden floor on her first day here!? And these sleeping bags are so dusty-

Just then, a boy slid across the floor, pushing sleeping bags and causing a cloud of dust to explode in Stella's face. After several agonizing seconds of coughing, Stella turned to the boy, practically fuming. The boy easily picked himself up and shook a bit of dust and dirt out of his licorice black mess of hair. "What in the name of Dust do you think you're doing!?" she yelled.

"What does it look like? I'm having fun," replied the boy with a scowl. "It's not like you'd be able to sleep _now_. We still got a buncha time before lights out."

"Yes, but I finally prepared my sleeping bag in the perfect position for when we _do_ go to sleep, you ignorant buffoon."

" _Buffoon?_ My name is Rocky Vega, _princess_ , and I hate to break it to you, but not everyone was raised in a goddamn castle," the boy said, approaching her, who backed away in disgust.

"Get away from me, you dirty little-"

"Dirty?"

"Your face is almost _caked_ in dirt!"

"Dirt!? That's racist," Rocky retorted, crossing his arms and pouting like a child. "I have a skin condition. Vitiligo. Look it up."

While the two were bickering, on another side of the hall, another girl was having her own problems. One of the teachers had given her a sleeping bag that's much too big for her, leaving her to blindly carry the large bag in front of her to her spot on the floor. However, a student had left some sort of box lying around, and Umbra Maxwell had tripped and fell over it with a startled cry.

"Ow…" she said, rubbing her head as she sat up, then looked up when someone offered their hand.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry about that. I should've been more careful with my things," the other girl said. Umbra hesitated for a moment before taking the hand and pulling herself up.

"O-Oh, it's alright. I couldn't see where I was going in the first place." Umbra replied, brushing a hair out of the way before nervously gripping her violet pajama pants. She took a moment to look at the crate she tripped over. It looked like any other crate, other than the heart on top, but it was also kind of strange. Almost as if it's a… it's a…!

"You checkin' out my darlin'? Oh don't worry, hun, he's just restin'," the girl told her, then clapped her hands when she remembered something. "Why, I almost forgot. I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?" She held out a hand towards Umbra with the biggest grin she could muster. "Th'name's Rosanne. Rosanne Klaus. Nice ta meetcha."

Umbra took Rosanne's hand and shook. "I-I'm Umbra M-Maxwell… Nice to meet you," she said, trying to make eye contact. There was just something about Rosanne that made it hard. It's probably the fact that she's unfazed about possessing a dead body in the middle of a school campus. No, it was something in those hot pink eyes, and the glossed lips curled into a beautiful smile that radiated confidence. She kinda hated that it was that easy to like it. Suddenly, Umbra felt a tug on her arm, and she found her face inches from Rosanne's, but the forthright girl was busy looking at something specific.

"Yer eyes are… straight-up black, ain't they?" Rosanne asked, squinting to get a better look at Umbra's obsidian irises, completely ignoring Umbra's face growing crimson.

"I-I was just born with it, I guess," Umbra answered, unable to think of anything else to say. Fortunately, Rosanne backed up with another smile.

"Well Umbra, I hope we get together on the same team tomorrow," she told Umbra. "G'night, sleep tight!" And with that, Rosanne went back to preparing her sleeping bag.

Umbra picked up her own large bag and went to where she was going to sleep, burying her face in the material to hide the blush that was coming back.

Meanwhile, Tania and Rein watched over the students, occasionally stepping in to settle some dispute before returning to their original position. When it seemed that all of the students had finally made themselves as comfortable as possible and fell asleep, the two of them immediately left for Rime's office, dreading what kind of news he has in store for them.


	8. Lesson 4: A Secret Socratic Seminar

Lesson 4: A Secret Socratic Seminar

Before Tania and Rein even made it to the door to Rime's office, they could already hear Gio slam a desk and yell furiously, "DO _NOT_ FUCK WITH US, RIME!" When the two finally entered, they saw Gio towering over Rime at his desk, whoseemed unfazed in his chair, and the spot on the desk under Gio's fist had sunken in from the force. Dia was off to the side, signs of worry showing on her face.

"You know very well that this kind of situation is never a joking matter, Giovanni," Rime answered, then noticed Tania and Rein standing dumbfounded by the doorway. "I see that you were able to get everyone settled in," he told them.

Tania nodded in Rime's direction as she approached her outraged teammate. "We have the students settled in, but it looks like you need to settle down-"

"SETTLE DOWN!? THIS MAN IS INSANE, TANIA," Gio bellowed.

"Insane?" Rein echoed as he crossed his arms before looking questioningly at Rime, who cleared his throat in response.

"Gio's having some trouble… _accepting_ the news that I have given them prior to your arrival," Rime explained. Tania looked at her second boss with worry, while Rein's raised brow which signaled the Headmaster to continue. "I had received word from Team Watchman that something is returning that should never, more than anything from the beginning of humanity to now, return.

"Gaius." The name itself sent a cold wave throughout the room. Rime did not waste any more time before looking at Tania. "I would assume that you are more worried than others because your own brother is attending Kastle, correct?

Tania nodded in response. "T-Tyler can handle himself, surely, b-but _Gaius?_ The legends… the damage that kind of power caused…"

"The kind of _heroes_ that were able to seal him," Rime finished for her, turning to look out of the window behind him. "The four Hunters and Huntresses of legend were simply that: People. Yet they gathered the power to bring down such a massive force."

"But Sir…" Dia started. "Rime… those heroes are long gone. Unless those heroes left behind descendents - children - of their own, the chances of finding them in one place are…" She trailed off when Rime turned around once more, a knowing glance accompanied by a smirk.

"It's wonderful what modern technology, government favors, and a few history nuts can get you these days, isn't it?"

"You didn't," Tania gasped, eyes sparkling

"He did," Rein assured her.

"All four of them?" Dia asked.

"It's a miracle," Gio said, barely louder than a whisper.

"Prepare yourselves, ladies and gentlemen," Rime began, standing up and opening his arms wide, "for you are about to be _STARSTRUCK_."


	9. Kastle Archives: Time to Fight, Rosanne

**It's time for another bonus fight chapter! This one features the strange Rosanne Klaus. She and her teammates are down on their luck against a powerful opponent, when a little reminder turns things... a little too quickly.**

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Time to Fight: Rosanne

Rocky hit the granite wall with a sickening thud before falling flat on the ground, bloody and bruised. "It's impossible… we can't beat him…" he said between pained breaths.

Rosanne was about to agree, then something rumbled from inside the coffin on her back. She checked the tiny watch on her wrist and grinned before straining to get up.

"Rosanne, what are you doing!?" Stella yelled as Rosanne moved so she was in front of her team. Rosanne turned her head towards her teammates, the grin still plastered on her face.

"Don't worry guys, I can still do this," she told them, then looked lovingly at the coffin on her back. "Isn't that right, my darling?"

At that, she effortlessly lifted the coffin with both hands and rested it next of her, standing it up on one end. Ethan was curious, yet undisturbed at this development. "It's useless, you know. If you four cannot beat me by myself, what is that thing-"

"Thing? How rude of you," Rosanne snapped at Ethan, effectively interrupting him, before clicking her fingers. The lid opened up with an ominous hiss before falling flat on the ground with a heavy thud, fog flowing from inside the wooden case. None of the others could see what was inside, but the sound of heavy footsteps told them it's probably not going to end well for someone. "Oh darling~" Rosanne sang happily, then her smile twisted into a more sickening grin, "Dinner's ready."

The footsteps ceased when it reached the opening of the coffin, leaving everyone in dead silence for nearly a minute. Stella was about to ask what happened when a deafening roar exploded from inside before bandaged hands took hold of the sides. Out of the coffin emerged a tall, horrifying creature covered from head to toe in decaying bandages and stitched patches of mismatched skin. He had no nose, nor any eyes, simply dark holes in his head, yet he was able to find Rosanne without any problems. "Gkid gl dzg zofdzch? Snzg'x ly hnd udyj glykbng?" he asked her, his voice deep and sounded like it echoed despite being in such an open area. Rosanne simply nodded and gestured at Ethan.

"Sorry if he's not up to your tastes, but I'm sure he'll fill you right up," Rosanne told him The creature looked at Ethan, frowning because it expected a better meal, then grinned wider than his face should allow.

"Kg'oo cl," he growled, then charged out of the coffin, hands wide open in front of him and teeth bared, raring to take a bite out of the stunned Ethan. Before the Dustman could register what was happening, he suddenly found himself in the creature's grip, teeth only seconds from closing in on flesh and bone. Everyone except for Rosanne turned away, not wanting to witness the gory scene, but could not cover their ears fast enough as they heard sickening noises of flesh being torn off, bones being crushed, and horrified screams of pain and suffering.

The three members of SRRU watched slack-jawed as Rosanne gave the creature that she said whose name was "Hans" a kiss on the cheek goodbye before he trudged back into the coffin. As the lid sealed itself, Rosanne turned to her teammates as if what had happened was a regular scene. "So guys? Whaddya think of Hans?" she asked. The reactions were… mixed, to say the least. Stella couldn't hold it in and went away to throw up. Rocky wasn't scared but rather looked like he was just introduced to the new coolest thing on the planet.

Umbra asked, "So… is he, like… a zombie or something? You're not… into that kind stuff, are you?"

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 **Translation for "Hans":**

 **"Time to eat already? What's on the menu today?"**

 **"It'll do."**

 **Basically what I did was type the letter below the actual key, so:**

 **A=Z  
** **S=X  
D=C  
Etc.**


	10. Lesson 5: Hit the Ground Running

Lesson 5: Hit the Ground Running

Before the sun even peeked over the horizon, the earsplitting wail of an air horn echoed throughout the main hall, startling every student inside as they turned to the source: Tania, standing at the entrance with the can in her hand. She then raised a megaphone to her lips. "Get up, you lazy bums! Initiation starts today!" she yelled, receiving groans in response.

"C'mon, sis! It's not even morning!" her younger brother, Tiler, yelled, his silver hair standing out amongst the crowd, still messy from just waking up. It must have been the wrong thing to say, because his sister walked over and blew the air horn in his face.

"The Grimm waits for no sun, nor man, woman, or child. Now get up! Every first-year needs to be bright-eyed and combat-ready before they report to the forest in twenty minutes!" With a groan, the boy and his fellow students got up and went to their assigned lockers to prepare for the initiation.

Stella walked over to her locker and only pulled out her parasol. Opening it wide, she gave a smirk at the people around her as she swung it around her, suddenly changing from her simple nightgown to being dressed to the nines in a frilly, light-fuchsia dress. As students audibly wondered how she was able to change so quickly, she winked at them and said "A woman never reveals herself to the public" before walking off, parasol resting over her shoulder.

Rocky made his briefcase transform into the great-hammer 'Savannah's Call" and a wave of light flowed through the various animal carvings running across the sides. With a grin, he set it aside before changing into a pair of khaki shorts and a black v-neck t-shirt. He finished the simple ensemble by strapping on a pair of fingerless gloves and a brown beanie with dark yellow stripes running down one side before retrieving his weapon and heading out to the cliffs.

Rosanne dragged the coffin over to her locker, once again drawing the gazes of many nervous students, and let it stand on one end as she gathered her combat outfit from the locker. When she grabbed everything she needed, she turned on her heel towards the coffin and opened it just enough for her to slip inside. Students that stepped closer heard subtle rattles and ruffling of clothes before the door opened - hitting a student that got a little too close in the face - as she emerged wearing cargo pants that tighten a bit at the ankles, paired by a simple tracksuit top and sneakers. After straightening out her clothes and dusting off a little bit of dirt, she grabbed the coffin and effortlessly threw it over her shoulder before heading out.

Umbra emerged from the girls' changing rooms in a simple black dress that goes halfway past her knees, her two belts of knives hanging loosely around her waist, crossing each other on her side. Her combat boots are worn tightly up to her calves as she adjusted one of the many straps on one of them. After the fifth once-over of her equipment, Umbra began her journey to the cliffs, dreading what may happen on the field.

"Alright, ladies and gentle-scrubs!" Tania yelled to the fresh-faced lineup of students before her, Rein standing next to her to assess their potential. "Today's the day! I will keep this simple: Your first mission is to find your three teammates, and obviously they will be the first people that you will run into while you're in the forest. The next goal is to make it back here, alive. There will be tons of Grimm lurking around, and will not hesitate to attack. If that happens, you can and will only rely on your skills, as well as the skills of your companions. No staff will interfere. However, you will not bring any maps, compasses, or any other means of finding your way back after launch."

It was then that several students raised their hands, but Stella was first to speak. "Uh… Launch? Exactly what do you mean by _LAUUUUuuuuu_ …." The grass beneath her suddenly split open as a platform sprung out and launched her without warning deep into the forest.

"That's what I meant by launch," Tania answered calmly, holding a Scroll that shows several rows of buttons on screen. "Have fun! See you alive!" she cheered, then simply continued pressing buttons. One by one, the rest of the students were launched into the air at random intervals, some more prepared than others - one even gave an excited whoop as they went flying- as Rein came to a realization.

"Tania… you remembered to remind them to come up with a means of landing… _right?_ " he asked, and as she launched the last student, Tania only made a look that was more than enough to answer his question.

"W-Well… They're adaptable kids. At least they'll hit the ground running right?"

Rein could only place a palm to his forehead.


	11. Lesson 6: Team Building Exercise

Lesson 6: Team Building Exercise

"WAAAAA-HOOOOOO!" Rocky let out an excited whoop as he flew over the trees, spread eagle as he gripped his briefcase in one hand. As he noticed that he was beginning to make a descent into the forest below, he brought the briefcase between his shoulderblades and called out, "Arma!" A split-second later, part of the case glowed with the image of an armadillo before the whole thing began splitting off and expanding across his back, arms, and legs until he was half-covered by a leathery armor. Once the armor was ready, Rocky curled up into a ball and began rolling forward, crashing through every branch and trunk that got in his away. After bouncing across the ground a couple of times, he uncurled and landed on his hands and knees, eyes immediately darting around as he scanned his surroundings. Once he confirmed that he was safe, he muttered, "De-Arma," and the leathery shell began to transform back into the briefcase. Stretching his arms behind him, case in both hands, he began the trek to search for his future teammates. All around him, Rocky could hear sounds of gunfire and cries of the Grimm as he leisurely strolled through the woods. However, the noticeably closer sound of moving bushes and snapping twigs set him on edge and he immediately brought out his case's hammer form. It wasn't until irritated shouts and gasps gave way to a girl emerging from the trees, picking away at twigs and leaves sticking out of disheveled pink hair and dirt all over her face and dress. "Oh, the _nerve_ of her to launch me without warning me first! I swear, the first thing I do-" the girl stopped when she locked eyes with the equally-shocked boy before her. As both of them recognized each, they could only say one thing in sheer disbelief.

"Not YOU again!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Umbra flew through the air, eyes closed as she took in the breeze. Smiling slightly, she whispered to herself, "It kinda smells like rainwater…" When she opened her eyes, she took in the approaching tree line and prepared for her descent, pulling out a couple of knives connected to her belt by thread. She threw them both at the largest branch she could find, burying them a full inch in, and used her momentum to swing underneath and back over, pulling out the knives at the same time, and caught them as she landed gently on the limb. As she replaced the knives into her belt, she heard a voice happily cheering overhead, and only looked up in time to see a shadowy figure fly past her. At first Umbra wanted to ignore it and move on, but curiosity got the better of her and began leaping across the branches in the direction of the figure.

As Umbra grew closer to where she thought the person landed, she heard inklings of excited chatter, something about a perfect landing and wanting to go again, before she reached a low branch near a clearing and saw that the source of the voice was female, but Umbra did not need to see their face, since it was being blocked by the door of a very… familiar coffin. "R-Rosanne…? Is that you…?" She called out to the girl, who yelped in surprise and quickly moved to shut the door of the wooden box, though it looked as if it closed by itself. As Rosanne regained her composure, she lit up with a smile as soon as she saw Umbra.

"Heeey, Umbra! How ya been? Looks like you landed safe and sound," she called back as the black-clad gal jumped down from the branch.

"I can say the same to you. Uh…" Umbra looked behind and around the coffin curiously, "Who were you talking to just now?" she asked.

"Oh! Uh… no one! Nobody at all!" Rosanne answered quickly, face flushed as she smiled nervously. Umbra gave the girl a very quizzical look, knowing full well that she was talking to _something_ inside of that coffin but decided not to question it any further.

"W-Well, according to the t-teacher, anyone you meet is immediately a teammate, right? Th-then I guess this means we're teammates now," Umbra reasoned, then held out a tentative hand. "Pleasure to be part of a team with you."

"As it is a pleasure to be a part of a team with you," Rosanne replied, taking the girl's hand in her own and shaking it. After pleasantries were finished, they both set off in search of two more first-years that will soon become their teammates.

* * *

Meanwhile… again...

"A Beowulf would have been fine," Stella began, barely dodging what looked like a golden stinger that burst through one of the surrounding trees.

"We killed a pack of them an hour ago no sweat!" Rocky argued as they jumped over the sweeping tail.

"An Ursa would have been fine," she added as she spun out of the way of an incoming claw.

"We knocked one out and ran away ten minutes ago!" he refuted as he jumped out from under a claw that tried to smash him.

" I would even say that a _King Taijitu_ would have been fine!" She emphasized, ducking another series of claw-like attacks.

"So why," one attack broke apart a boulder with a dull _crash_.

"pray tell me," a tree was sent flying from its trunk by the tail.

"did you think," missed strikes send dirt flying everywhere.

"picking a fight with a _DEATHSTALKER_ was a good idea!?" the ear-piercing shriek of the giant scorpion-like Grimm pierced the air as the two freshman ran full-speed through the forest.

"You were the one that threw the stick at it!" Rocky debated, noticing that the trees were thinning out over time.

"That was simply an accident, YOU were the one that tried to assault it right after!" Stella replied, and would've noticed the cliff wall if she wasn't too busy staying alive and accusing the brute next to her for causing this problem in the first place.

"YOU TOLD ME IT WAS JUST A ROCK- FORGET IT, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS LATER!"

Rocky moved closer to Stella and tossed the case her way, who instinctively caught it in her arms. "Hold that against me!" He ordered.

"What do you mean hold it against- What in the name of Dust do you think you are doing!?" before she knew it, she was being carried bridal-style in Rocky's arms, his briefcase sitting in her lap.

"Case, me, now!" Rocky reminded her, and she nodded and pressed the case against his chest. "Chee!" At his call, the case glowed once more with the symbol of a cheetah, which flowed into Rocky's body and down to his legs, and the two of them immediately felt the surge of adrenaline. "Hold on tight and watch your head!" Rocky said, and began sprinting towards the cliff, and Stella immediately curled up, making sure the case was still pressed against his chest. As soon as they reached the cliff, Rocky leaned forward and stepped on, using the speed to begin running upwards.

And that's where it went downhill.

Stella had closed her eyes as he ran, and once she opened them, the shock of seeing the forest floor shrink from view was too much and she began panicking, letting go of Rocky's case and separating the connection. Rocky's eyes went wide as the speed left him, and the momentum carried them up for a few inches before they began free falling down to the Grimm below.

Stella reacted instantly, grabbing her parasol from under her arm and opening it up so it caught the wind and slowed her descent considerably, an apologetic smile on her face. Rocky flipped the double birds in reply before scrambling for his briefcase, wanting desperately to transform it into his hammer and use it on more than just the Deathstalker. Once he got a grip on the handle, one end detached itself from the case as the other centered itself before the entire weapon began expanding and elongating to form his trusty hammer. As soon as Savannah's Call was ready, he heard Stella yell, "Hey, you! Start rolling, quickly!"

"I have a name-"

"No time!" Stella interrupted, seeing some sort of projectile come out of nowhere hit the Grimm in what can only be assumed to be the head and explode with ice. "Start rolling and use the momentum to strike the ice!"

Rocky caught onto Stella's plan and obeyed, holding the hammerhead out and rolling in the air as he descended, quickly gaining speed and momentum over time. Stella counted down under her breath, "6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… IMPACT!" Rocky's hammer slammed down onto the ice, breaking off chunks and barely jamming a few through the monster's thick hide. Despite the pain it might have received, the Grimm retaliated quickly by swiping at the boy with a claw, leaving no time to defend himself as he was launched backward into the cliff wall, instantly knocking the wind out of him. As he struggled to get back on his feet, the Deathstalker was already upon him, stinger diving in to strike once more.

That was, until a stranger burst out of the trees from the same direction as the earlier projectiles and kicked the stinger off course, burying itself in the cliff wall instead of Rocky himself. The stranger landed on her feet and turned toward the boy, lending a hand as she pulled him back onto his feet.

"Th… thank you…" was all he could say as he tried to gather his breath.

"Aw, it was nothin'. Besides, that's what teammates are for, aren't they?" the stranger asked, then stuck an open hand out. "Rosanne Klaus. Nice ta meetcha, new teammate!"

"Teammate, what- oh, right." Rocky reached over and shook her hand as he quickly remembered that he was told he would be teammates with the first three people he met. Otherwise he wouldn't have had to deal with that insufferable pink b-

"Uh, Rosanne? Little help here!" a voice called out, and when the two looked over, they saw another girl nervously facing the Grimm by herself, several knives held between her fingers by her sides as she took slow steps backwards.

"Oop, sorry Umbra! Be right there!" Rosanne called back, then turned back to Rocky as she jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "That's Umbra. I met her before you, so I guess that she's now also your teammate. Did you find anyone yet?" she asked casually.

Rocky pinched the bridge and regrettably nodded before pointing up at the pink form floating downwards.

"You better not be looking somewhere you shouldn't be!" was Stella's only response, which irritated Rocky even further.

"If you got down here faster, then you wouldn't have to worry about it, now would you?" the boy retorted as she finally made it to solid ground.

After brushing off what Rocky could only guess was invisible dirt, Stella stretched out a hand. "Stella Blossom. Pleasure to meet you."

"Hooo, more handshakes? At this rate, my arms will be more tired from greeting everyone rather than fighting," Rosanne remarked, shaking Stella's hand. The introductions were interrupted for a moment when Umbra was sent flying, landing between the trio while her knives clattered to the ground beside her."This is Umbra. We met up earlier," Rosanne introduced, and the downed girl slightly raised a hand and jerked it a bit from side to side.

"Wonderful, then I believe it is safe to assume that we will at least die as a team," Stella spat sarcastically as the Deathstalker loomed over the quartet. Her gaze broke away from the giant stinger to the portion of armor that Rocky and Umbra had struck earlier and noticed the cracks and exposed skin. "Or will we…?"

"Rosanne," Stella began, causing the upbeat girl to turn towards her, "I need you to distract it. Keep it within range of the rest of us while we prepare."

"On it," Rosanne confirmed, and dashed forward and started jumping around and being an overall nuisance. Immediately, the Grimm shrieked in frustration as it kept swinging and missing the agile girl.

"Umbra," Stella continued, her sudden call causing Umbra to jump in surprise, "I am assuming that your knives use some form of Dust. May I see them for a second?" she asked, and Umbra nodded hesitantly before handing Stella one of the pale blue knives. Stella concentrated for a moment as the knife glowed blue before the light seemed to transfer itself to her parasol. As the glow faded away, she handed back the knife.

"I will explain later, when we are not threatened by a Deathstalker. Now, on my signal, you must throw those same knives into the cracks you and this brute-"

"It's _Rocky_ , Princess," the boy cut in.

"-that you and _Rocky_ made earlier. It should help expand the wound and leave it wide open," she finished, and the other nodded as she went through the pouches on her belt, pulling out several knives that possessed a similar pale blue hue, and waited for the go-ahead. "Now!" Stella was first to jump up, aiming the tip of her parasol down at the cracks as it charged with the same blue glow from earlier, soon launching a large, needle-like projectile into the middle of the wound as Umbra dashed forward, throwing several knives that found convenient perches around the needle, causing the Deathstalker to cry in pain.

" _Rocky, nail, GO!_ " Stella called out, and Rocky didn't spare a moment as he jumped upward, hammer held above his head, as he slammed it down, precisely striking the needle and burying it deep into the Grimm. As he did, the blue Dust inside the knives went off, bursting outward to form icy flower petals like lilies. With a final cry, the Deathstalker slowed down before collapsing entirely, signs of evaporation quickly becoming evident.

The three of them landed in various poses in front of the corpse, the glow disappearing from Stella's parasol. With a soft huff, she said, "I think I'll call that one 'Frozen Flower.'"

"Uh, I'm sorry," Rocky interjected, "but if we're actually gonna be in a team, we're not gonna name these attacks, 'specially not if you're just gonna do it without telling the rest of us."

Stella was about to retort when they heard Rosanne scream a ways away. When the trio turned to look, they found Rosanne looking around frantically, as if looking for someone. "Rosanne? What's wrong?" Umbra asked.

"I can't find my darling anywhere! I need to find him!" Rosanne answered, then ran into the forest before the others could answer, leaving Stella and Rocky to turn to Umbra, who started to feel small from the stares.

"Her 'darling'...?"

"It's, uh… it's a coffin…"

* * *

"Navi Astair, Opal Vasquez, Beitrice Gray, and Laz Ortiz," Rime called out, the four students approaching the headmaster as he continued, "you found each other deep within the caves with little to no light and eliminated a pack of Ursai. Given your performance in the matter, you will be officially known as Team Noble, led by Nova Astair." The crowd applauded as the newly formed team stepped off to the side, NOBL forming from their initials on screen.

"And finally, Stella Blossom, Rocky Vega, Rosanne Klaus, and Umbra Maxwell," Headmaster Rime continued as the last quartet stepped forward, their portraits side-by-side on the screen above them, "You have found each other in the forest, and from what I have heard from the staff that was observing you, managed to kill an adult Deathstalker. Very stylishly, as they also put it." Behind Rime, Tania gave them a thumbs up. "As of today, the four of you are now to be known as Team Starstruck, led by Stella Blossom." At that, the crowd applauded as their initials spelled out SRRU, and Stella held her head high as she was appointed leader. but soon lowered it as she looked back at her… teammates… on the way to their new dorm.

She wanted to think that they have the potential actually do things, even more so as an actual unit, but she can hardly tolerate half of them. Rocky is the definition of uncouth, with no grasp of anything even close to proper speech or any semblance of manners, no pun intended. Rosanne was no different in terms of manners, and at the very least she's polite, but what made Stella hesitant around the girl was this inexplicable… fear. Every bit of a Huntress within the new leader were sent up every warning and red flag the entire time she was walking near the bubbly girl. The only one Stella can tolerate out of the three is Umbra, and even then, she thought she was a problem. Umbra was definitely combat-capable, but from what Stella can tell, the black-clad girl had some issue with speaking up on, and especially off, the battlefield, which was evident when she noticed her teammate drifting behind, hands to herself, shoulders slightly hunched, and lips tightly sealed.

"I have to congratulate the staff of this academy," Stella muttered, "This may possibly be the worst team-building exercise I have ever had the misfortune of participating in."


	12. Lesson 7: Show and Tell

Lesson 7: Show and Tell

"... and that's why, in the event of trying to cover tracks while covertly gathering information, it is a good idea to use every bit of your environment to any extent of an advantage," Tania concluded, leaving the class of first years in amazement as her stories began to sink in. Never did they live to see the day where they learned effective ways of using lemon juice in combat, creative ways of physically throwing allies and enemies at each other in order to win a battle, and even hear stories of how their Strategy and Recon teacher only went on missions in a tank top and short-shorts, using a wide variety of moss, leaves, and even sand to literally stay under cover. Before she could continue or any of the students could ask questions, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. "Be sure to turn in your first Recon assignments by next week! I will know if you just looked things up on your Scrolls!" she called to the departing students.

As the students filed into the amphitheater that was Combat Studies class, they did not find any handouts or instructions. Instead, Rein stood at attention at the front of the class, the large green board bearing "Show and Tell" in large, white letters. "Welcome, students, to Combat Studies," he began as they sat down, "as for your first day at Kastle, as well as the instructor for this course, I decided that the best way to start off your years is getting to know each other through Show and Tell—and before you say anything," he added, noticing several students groan in response, "this isn't your normal Show and Tell. I will pick two teams. They will come down and introduce themselves, as well as their weapons and Semblances. For example," Rein brought his hands up, wearing gloves that stop just before his wrists bearing very intricate designs, "My name is Rein Alenko, my weapons are wires, and my Semblance is Pacification."

Umbra paled. Introduce herself? As in _speak?_ In front of _people!?_

"Now, since I already mentioned picking teams…" Rein picked up a clipboard from his desk and looked down the list. "I want teams… SNTA and… SRRU, to the front of the class. Together and in your proper orders would be preferable," he called out, and the eight students immediately stood up and made their way down from their seats, both teams lining up on either side of their teacher facing each other. He gestured to the members on team SNTA, or Sonata, to speak first.

The first member stepped forward confidently, vibrant white wings spreading wide above the mousy red-orange hair of the tall Faunus. "Sophia Summers, sword and shield, Wind Manipulation."

The next member had to push down one of his leader's wings in order to step forward, bright blue eyes glaring at the girl before looking forward, brushing dark hair away from his bright blue-purple eyes. "Nova Monter, boomerangs, Shockwave."

A silver-haired teen laughed a bit at his teammate's struggle as he stood beside him. "Tiler Madeleine, spear, Shield."

A younger-looking girl practically skipped forward, clutching a small stuffed animal in the shape of a Beowolf to her chest, bladed braces covering her forearms. "Autumn Walker, claws, Doll Control."

Rein looked them up from head to toe before nodding and turning to team SRRU, prompting them to begin speaking.

Stella stepped forward and curtsied a tiny bit, "Stella Blossom, parasol, Siphoning."

Rocky took a larger step forward and jerked a thumb towards himself, "Rocky Vega, great-hammer, Animal Channeling."

Rosanne was next to step forward, giving a small wave to the other team. "Rosanne Klaus, hand-to-hand, Soul Chain." a chill washed over the class as they tried to understand what her Semblance could mean.

Umbra could barely get past the lump in her throat as she stared back at everyone else. She nearly jumped out of her shoes when Rosanne placed a hand on her shoulder, an encouraging smile forming from her lips. Umbra nodded back, and, face flushed, bowed deeply and quickly blurted out, "U-Umbra M-M-M-Maxwell, th-throwing kn-knives, I-I-Invisiblity."

As they finished introductions, Rein sneaked a glance above the bleachers, taking notice of four shadowy figures sitting just below the windows and immediately recognizing them as team WCHM, or Watchman, Rein's fellow classmates and Rime's most efficient scouts. His eyes darted between them and team SRRU, and they instantly got the message: Those four students were the ones Rime had mentioned.

"Now, everyone get into positions… Ready…? BEGIN!"

* * *

"That was the most _appalling_ display of skill I have ever witnessed! How can we possibly even consider that a fight!?" Stella berated her teammates as she pushed open the door to their dorm room after class, covered in bruises and overall looking disheveled and miserable.

"Oh, I dunno, _Princess,_ I didn't think you were actually _part of the fight_ in the first place!" Rocky spat back, his beanie knocked askew and sporting a bloody nose.

" _Not part of the fight!?_ I was giving useful tactical insight on our opponents as well as strategies that _you and Rosanne_ failed, or otherwise deliberately _ignored_ , to follow!"

"It was kinda difficult to hear you over all of the wind that _you_ failed to keep from happenin'," Rosanne chipped in, wincing as her busted lip began to sting once more.

"Th-That's true…" Umbra squeaked from behind, causing Stella to turn on her next.

"And _you!_ No warnings, no callouts, and certainly not even a single _peep_ from you during the entire battle. Because of you, Rocky nearly burned from your red Dust, Rosanne nearly lost a hand from a stray knife, and you threw the both of us off balance when you were sent flying by that girl's doll! I swear, I thought you were capable of pushing aside your nerves so you can communicate in the middle of a conflict, but for the exact _opposite_ to happen-"

"I-I'm so-sorry…"

Stella stopped her tirade when the near-silent apology reached her ears, and she noticed that Umbra was shaking slightly, arms wrapped around herself as her head hung low as the girl tried hard to avoid eye contact with the rest of the team as she slowly began to disappear from view right in front of them.

"I-I-I-I-I sh-sh-should've sp-spoken up during the f-f-fight, b-but I just k-kept screwing up and I w-was worried that you would h- _hate_ me and-" Umbra was startled out of her Semblance when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder, tilting her head up to see her leader looking with a sad expression.

"Umbra, I…" she started, sighing when she couldn't find the correct words right away, "I do not hate you, and I am sure Rocky and Rosanne can say the same. If anything, the only one I simply cannot stand is Rocky-"

"Hey-"

"Hush you!" Stella quickly cut him off, Umbra giggling at the sight, before her leader turned back to her. "It has only been one day, alright? It is only natural that mistakes were going to be made. It is only right that we learn from those mistakes and grow from there, okay?" Umbra managed to bring her eyes up to meet the eyes of her teammates and nodded, then moved closer to Stella, who immediately wrapped her arms around the girl in a gentle hug, who added softly, "We are a team now. We may not get along well in the beginning, but I believe we are capable of great things. Do not worry."

Rocky took the moment to tap Umbra's shoulder, who looked up as he said, "By the way, as creepy as your eyes look, bein' all black like that, I think it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen." Rosanne stood behind him, simply nodding in agreement.

Umbra blushed and muttered a quick thanks before Stella pulled away and walked to the middle of the room. "Going off of that, I propose we have our very own show and tell," she announced.

"Beg your pardon? Now you want us to fight each other?" Rosanne asked, utterly confused by the sudden suggestion.

"Obviously not. Just a typical one. Reveal our weapons, explain to each other exactly how our weapons and Semblances so we can keep it in mind the next time we have to fight," Stella explained. "Now, as leader, I will go first."

"Maybe now you'll explain what the hell you did with Umbra's knife in the forest," Rocky said, randomly picking a bed and sitting down.

"If you were patient enough for once in your life, I would tell you. Honestly, where in the world were you raised?"

"Vacuo ain't exactly prim and proper. There a problem with that?"

"You are the physical embodiment of everything I detest. Now I can see why," Stella huffed, then pulled out her parasol. "Since you are all so curious, my weapon of choice is my parasol, Heaven's Glow, which is custom-made to withstand a large amount of force despite its delicate appearance-" Rocky stifled a laugh that Stella ignored "-and my Semblance is Siphoning, meaning I can absorb anything from Dust to other people's Auras and use them to suit my needs in battle."

"So when you took my knife in the forest, you absorbed the ice Dust inside to create that giant needle," reasoned Umbra, who smiled when Stella nodded in confirmation, then turned to Rocky with a smug look, as if saying his weapon's not as impressive.

Recognizing the challenge, Rocky stood up, grabbed his case, and twirled it in his hand without looking. "Now that that's out of the way, this is _my_ weapon," Rocky announced, and didn't even stop as it transformed into its weapon form, "the great-hammer, Savannah's Call. For me, fighting doesn't need any fancy tactics or someone else's Dust to settle things-" he smirked as he noticed Stella scowling on the side - "all it needs are a few good hits. Don't get me wrong, I use my Semblance, too." He finished twirling the hammer and pointed at the carvings. "See these? My Semblance is Animal Channeling, which lets me channel aspects of the animals that are carved into my hammer. It's pretty draining, so I only use it for the more specific situations. Also…" he glared at Stella, "it only works when I am in _constant_ physical contact with it. Once I'm separated, the effects wear off whether I want it to or not. Which we had to learn _first-hand_ in the forest." With a huff, Rocky turned to Rosanne curiously. "So what about you?"

Rosanne smiled, and walked over to lean against her coffin proudly. "I don't really have a weapon, but I do have my darling to help me out!" Her teammates simply continued to stare.

"And… your Semblance…? You mentioned in class that it was something called Soul Chain, but… what does that mean?" Stella asked.

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it? With my Semblance, I share my Aura with an avatar of my choosing! They help me fight and stuff whenever they can, so I don't have to rely on anything else!"

The room went silent for a few minutes before Stella cleared her throat. "S-So… Moving along… Umbra, care to share your arsenal…?"

Umbra nodded before reaching to her belts, pulling out several knives and holding them out like fans. "I, uh… my weapons are throwing knives with different elements of Dust inside of them. M-My S-Semblance is that I can go i-invisible…"

Stella nodded, satisfied that they were finished with their little Show and Tell. "There, now we know what each of us are capable of. With that knowledge, we can come up with different strategies using each other's abilities much faster in the middle of battle. Sound good?" The rest of the team simply nodded. "Good. Now, off to bed. I want to go to sleep as soon as possible so I do not lose a _minute_ because Rosanne's Dust-awful _coffin_ is sitting several feet from my bed."  
"Aww, don't be like that! My darlin' doesn't bite! Well… not much…"

As the team settled down for the night, Stella felt something poke her cheek as she turned to meet Umbra. "Th-thank you for earlier, Stella… I'm glad the Headmaster made you the leader..." she whispered, then left for her own bed.

Stella rolled over in her bed, smiling as she drifted off to sleep, the four of them unaware of the cloaked figure watching them in the distance through binoculars, belts lined with several bottles of Dust clinking together gently from the breeze. "So they're the descendants the master speaks of…" the figure muttered, then chuckled as they began to disappear into the night, " _too easy…_ "

* * *

" _That's_ who we have to depend on!? They can't even handle each other!"

"They were confirmed to be the descendants of the four that sealed away Gaius, Wyatt. They are simply… in need of preparation."

"We don't have _time_ for preparation, Rime. For all we know, Gaius could be close to a full recovery as we speak!"

"Then we must prepare them _quickly,_ Carmin."

"Do you want us to take care of their training ourselves, Headmaster? Mar and I-"

"Isolating them from the rest of their class will only raise suspicion and worry, Hurley. I do not doubt your teaching skills, but this is something that we must do subtly, and only tell them when the time is right."

"You better _be_ right, or else we can say goodbye to the world as we know it."

…

"As if I don't know that already…"


End file.
